Disposable pipe

ABSTRACT

A disposable smoking pipe is formed from a foldable flat blank, and is an elongated frustum of a pyramid having a metal foil bowl in one wall in the form of a cup perforated at its bottom. The flat blank comprises top, bottom and side wall portions of the pipe having tabs for holding the pipe in folded form.

United States Patent [191 [1.11 3,902,505 Carleton Sept. 2, 1975 [54] DISPOSABLE PIPE 3,545,449 12/1970 Pecor 131/183 1 [76] Inventor: Kenneth A. Carleton, B-68, D14276O 0/1945 Wyse 131/194 UX Surfside, Calif. 90743 [22] Filed: p 8 1974 Przmary ExammerJoseph S. Reich [21] Appl. No.: 458,995

[57] ABSTRACT 131/172; 131/ 3? A disposable smoking pipe is formed from a foldable f i 192 flat blank, and is an elongated frustum of a pyramid [5 1 le 0 care l 1 having a metal foil bowl in one wall in the form of a cup perforated at its bottom. The flat blank comprises top, bottom and side wall portions of the pipe having [5 6] References cued tabs for holding the pipe in folded form.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,813,684 7/1931 Sprich 131/196 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DISPOSABLE PIPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The typical pipe utilized for smoking tobacco comprises an elongated stem having a bit at one end and a bowl at the other end for receiving the smoking to bacco. From time to time it becomes necessary or desirable that the pipe be cleaned due to the collection of tars and residue within the stem and thebowl which interfere with proper passage of air and smoke through the pipe, and which are distasteful and dirty, Normally, the practice is to clean such a pipe with scraping and cleaning instruments so that it may be reused. Frequently, however, there is a need for a relatively inexpensive pipe which may be used for a short period of time and then discarded, such as when the desire for smoking arises spontaneously in the absence of an ordinary smoking pipe, when it is desired to sample an unusual tobacco without contaminating the existing pipe, when the smoking ofa pipe is only occasional, or when a novelty smoking pipe is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves the provision of an inexpensive smoking pipe which satisfies the above requirements and which is formed from a foldable flat blank. The foldable blank smoking pipe may be stored in quantities in a small space and sold in packages so as to be conveniently available when needed.

In accomplishing the foregoing, the foldable blank smoking pipe comprises top, bottom and side wall portions of the stem of the pipe, together with an end wall which when folded to an assembled form constitutes the stem'of the pipe. The bowl is composed of a metal foil material initially assembled in a flatened condition with the top wall of the stem and having a bowl portion disposed in an opening in the top wall. When the blank is folded to form the smoking pipe the flatened bowl portion may be expanded into the hollow stem by the insertion of a finger tip into the foil bowl. The bowl is perforated about its bottom to allow air to be drawn through the bowl and through the pipe stem to induce burning of the tobacco in the bowl.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other purposes which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of the form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. They will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principals of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed descriptions are not to be taken in a limiting sense.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a disposable smoking pipe made in accordance with the invention:

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the foldable blank with the bowl element associated with the blank;

FIG. 3 is a detail view in section, as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the flatened foil bowl in full lines and showing the expanded foil bowl in broken lines; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section, as taken on the line 4-4 of FIGv I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As seen inFIG. l, the illustrative smoking pipe com prises a hollow stem 1 which is in the form of an elongated frustum of a pyramid having an open bit end 2 and a closed bowl end 3. The stem is comprised of similar side walls 4 and 5 of trapezoidal shape tapering or converging from the bowl end to the bit end, similar top and bottom walls 6 and 7 also of trapezoidal shape tapering or converging from the bowl end toward the bit end, and an end closure wall 8 at the bowl end 3. These walls 4 through 8 combine to form the hollow pipe stem 1 which is open at the bit end 2.

In the bowl end 3 and supported by the top wall 6 is a bowl 9 in the form of a cup having an upper peripheral flange 10 which may be suitably affixed at the top wall 6 about a bowl receiving opening 11. The bowl 9 is formed of fire resistant material such as metal foil which is easily formed into the cup-like shape by crimping a circular flat piece of foil to form the cup body having the flange for supporting the cup on the upper wall 6, as previously referred to. The bottom 12 of the cup is suitably perforated so that air can be drawn through the bowl to the open bit end, as customary with smoking pipes.

The pipe assembly of FIG. 1 is formed from the flat paper or plastic blank B shown in FIG. 2. This foldable flank is preferably scored along lines 13 which enables the blank to be folded to the pipe form of FIG. 1. Along one side of the blank is an elongated tab 14 foldable on a scored line 15 and coated with adhesive to enable the securing of the edge 16 of the bottom wall 7 to the side wall 4 when the blank is folded. The end wall 5 of the bkank is foldable on a scored line 16 and projects outwardly from the main body of the blank. In the illustra' tive form the end wall 8 is an integral part of the top wall 6 and has side tabs 17 and 18 coated with adhesive and foldable on scored lines '19 and 20 so as to be secured to the adjacent edges of the side walls 4 and 5 when the blank is folded. An end tab 21 coated with adhesive and foldable on a scored line 22 enables the end wall 8 to be secured to the bottom wall 7 of the blank when it is folded. The adhesive material on the tabs not only secures the blank in folded form, but also minimizes the entering of air into the stem at the juncture of the walls so that the majority of the air drawn through the pipe must pass through the bowl.

As seen in FIG. 3, since the blank is intended to be stored or shipped in flat form, the foil bowl 9 is initially installed in the top wall 6 in a flatened condition. Following the folding of the blank to the form of FIG. 1, the cup portion of the bowl can easily be expanded or opened to the broken line form of FIG. 3 by inserting a finger tip through the edge flange 10 and applying light pressure to unfold the flatened cup portion If desired, the pipe may suitably be ornamented by a simple printing operation or the walls of the blank may be printed to bear advertising material. In any event, it will now be apparent that the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive, novelty pipe which satisfies the need referred to above.

I claim:

1. A novelty smoking pipe comprising an elongated hollow stem composed of folded-blank material and having a closed bowl end and an open bit end, and a cup shaped bowl in said bowl end and composed of metal foil material, said bowl having a perforated bottom. said stem having walls converging from said bowl end to said bit end and an end wall closing said bowl end, certain of said walls having tabs extending therefrom and engaging adjacent walls, and means for securing said tabs to said top and adjacent walls.

2. A novelty smoking pipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said stern includes, top and bottom walls in the form of similar trapezoids, and said stem having the form of a frustum of a pyramid.

3. A foldable blank for forming a smoking pipe comprising a blank sheet composed of side wall elements and top and bottom wall elements, said blank having score lines between said wall elements, and end wall element connected to one of said top and side wall elements and projecting therefrom, securing tab means on certain of said wall elements engageable with other wall elements to hold said wall elements together in an assembled pipe stem form, said top wall element having means providing a bowl opening therein, and a bowl element in said opening means, said bowl element comprising a crimped foil sheet in the form of a cup element, said cup element being flat and extending into closely adjacent relationship to the bottom of said top wall element.

4. A foldable blank as defined in claim 3, wherein said bowl element has a marginal flange overlying said top wall element and surrounding said opening means. =l 

1. A novelty smoking pipe comprising an elongated hollow stem composed of folded-blank material and having a closed bowl end and an open bit end, and a cup shaped bowl in said bowl end and composed of metal foil material, said bowl having a perforated bottom, said stem having walls converging from said bowl end to said bit end and an end wall closing said bowl end, certain of said walls having tabs extending therefrom and engaging adjacent walls, and means for securing said tabs to said top and adjacent walls.
 2. A novelty smoking pipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said stem includes, top and bottom walls in the form of similar trapezoids, and said stem having the form of a frustum of a pyramid.
 3. A foldable blank for forming a smoking pipe comprising a blank sheet composed of side wall elements and top and bottom wall elements, said blank having score lines between said wall elements, and end wall element connected to one of said top and side wall elements and projecting therefrom, securing tab means on certain of said walL elements engageable with other wall elements to hold said wall elements together in an assembled pipe stem form, said top wall element having means providing a bowl opening therein, and a bowl element in said opening means, said bowl element comprising a crimped foil sheet in the form of a cup element, said cup element being flat and extending into closely adjacent relationship to the bottom of said top wall element.
 4. A foldable blank as defined in claim 3, wherein said bowl element has a marginal flange overlying said top wall element and surrounding said opening means. 